Andrew Rice

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#InsectThursday A pair of Red Legged Sheildbugs on today’s walk and a Poplar Hawk-Moth out of its comfort zone on a previous walk. A second Hornet joined us 5 days after the first followed by this Old Lady which was a lot harder to remove than the Hornet.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#WaterWednesday Surprising how quickly it’s gets dark now.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#InsectThursday Tonight’s unwanted visitor, a European Hornet safely caught and removed to a safe distance!

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#InsectThursday Last nights Intruder!

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#MushroomMonday Still bone dry here however rain predicted later in the week. Another Chicken of the Woods the sixth around here recently and I’m not sure what the other one is, went back to have a look later but only the stipe remained.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#FungiFriday Another Chicken of the Woods and a couple of stages of a nearby Beefsteak fungus before the local deer polished them off!

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#InsectThursday First time I’ve seen a Rose Chafer around here sadly deceased. Still where there’s one there might be another.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#WaterWednesday A cooling breeze and a lower temperature today walking round a lake with the added pleasure of geese flying over.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#MushroomMonday Two more Chicken of the Woods high up in trees. The fascinating way they derive their energy means that even with 60 days without rain they can flourish.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#FungiFriday In spite of the very dry conditions another Chicken of The Woods on today’s walk. Same tree as last year.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#InsectThursday I sat down for a rest on a walk this week and was joined by this Median Wasp apparently also in need of a rest! This wasp wasn’t recorded in the UK until the 1980s.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#WaterWednesday A Mindful Moment in the shade with the swans.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#FungiFriday A proliferation of pristine Southern Brackets and a couple of Earthballs past their best before by date.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#MushroomMonday Chicken of the Woods seen over the weekend. Fascinating process by which it derives the nutrients to produce such a large and succulent fungi from a long dead branch.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#FungiFriday A couple of Dryad’s Saddles within a short distance of each other,the first one looks as though it’s trying to escape!

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#WaterWednesday We are officially in a drought so very pleased so be sitting by a lake.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#FungiFriday Lots of Hoof Fungus on this dead silver birch with many of them looking like strange emerging sea creatures! Lots of Birch Woodwart as well.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#InsectThursday Some of the insects seen in our small garden this week. This Jersey Tiger has been a garden resident for a while now, it seems to like resting on the ivy. I found two caterpillars which I think might turn into Buff-Tip moths and a Common Plume through the window.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

A variety of colours for #SlimeMouldSunday a surprising amount to be seen in spite of the hot dry weather.

[Andrew Rice @Paddy__Rice]

#FungiFriday Still hoping for some rain and cooler temperatures. Southern Bracket, Beefsteak Fungus and lots of Earthballs about at the moment but not much else.